Women

266,120 new cases of invasive breast cancer (This includes new cases of primary breast cancer, but not recurrences of original breast cancers.)

63,960 new cases of in situ breast cancer (This includes ductal carcinoma in situ (DCIS) and lobular carcinoma in situ (LCIS). Of those, about 83 percent will be DCIS [51]. DCIS is a non-invasive breast cancer. LCIS is a condition that increases the risk of invasive breast cancer. Learn more about DCIS and LCIS.)

Breast cancer incidence over time

In the 1980s, breast cancer incidence rose greatly (likely due to increased mammography screening), and then leveled off between 1987-1994 [51].

During the mid to late 1990s, incidence rates rose again, possibly due to increased mammography screening, increased rates of obesity and increased use of menopausal hormone therapy (postmenopausal hormones) [51].

Breast cancer incidence declined in the early 2000s [51]. Although mammography screening rates fell somewhat over this same time period, studies show these changes were not likely related to the decline in breast cancer incidence [53-54].

The decline in incidence in the early 2000s appears to be related to the drop in use of menopausal hormone therapy that occurred after it was shown to increase the risk of breast cancer [51,53-54].

Since 2004, the incidence of breast cancer overall has remained stable [51]. However, there have been changes in breast cancer incidence in some groups of women during this time.

Breast cancer mortality over time

Breast cancer mortality (death) rates in the U.S. increased slowly from 1975 through the 1980s [51].

This decline in mortality is due to improved breast cancer treatment and early detection [51].

Mammography and rates of early detection over time

Mammography screening became widely available in the 1980s and 1990s. During this time, diagnoses of early stage breast cancer, including ductal carcinoma in situ (DCIS), increased greatly [51]. This was likely due to the increased use of mammography screening during this time period [51].

Since 2000, rates of DCIS have remained stable for women over 50 and since 2007, rates have remained stable for women younger than 50 [51].

Race/ethnicity and breast cancer incidence rates over time

The overall incidence of breast cancer is slightly higher among white/non-Hispanic white women than among black women [50,105].

From 2006-2015 (most recent data available), the incidence of breast cancer remained stable in white women and increased slightly (less than 1 percent per year) in black women [105].

Incidence rates and the number of new cases

To know whether or not breast cancer rates are changing over time, you have to compare rates, rather than the number of new cases.

For example, in 2008, there were an estimated 182,460 new cases of breast cancer in U.S. women [108]. In 2018, there will be an estimated 266,120 new cases of breast cancer in U.S. women [50].

Although more breast cancer cases are expected in 2018 than occurred in 2008, this doesn’t mean breast cancer is increasing.

We expect the number of cases to increase over time because the population in the U.S. is growing [103]. The more people there are, the more cancers there will be.

Our population is also living longer (so there are more older people) [103]. Since age increases the risk of breast cancer, we expect to have more breast cancers over time.

To know if breast cancer is changing over time, we look at incidence rates, rather than the number of new cases. The incidence rate shows the number of breast cancer cases in a set population size. It’s usually written as the number of cases in a population of 100,000 people.

The breast cancer incidence rate among women in 2008 was 126 and the most recent estimated breast cancer incidence rate for 2015 is also 126 [104]. This means there were 126 breast cancer cases per 100,000 women in the U.S. population in both time periods.

So, although the number of breast cancer cases has increased over time, breast cancer rates have been fairly stable for at least 10 years.

Survival and mortality (death) rates

Survival depends on mortality. You start with 100 percent of the people in the group.

100 percent – mortality rate = survival rate

Say, the mortality rate in the group of people is 5 percent. Survival would be 95 percent (100 – 5 = 95).

Similarly, the number of people who survival is linked to the number of people who die in a group. Say, there are 500 people in the group and 1 person dies. This means 499 people survived (500 - 1 = 499).

Mortality rates versus number of breast cancer deaths

Sometimes it’s useful to have an estimate of the number of people expected to die from breast cancer in a year. This number helps show the burden of breast cancer in a group of people.

Numbers, however, can be hard to compare to each other. To compare mortality (or survival) in different populations, we need to look at mortality rates rather than the number of breast cancer deaths.

Say, town A has a population of 100,000 and town B has a population of 1,000. Over a year, say there are 100 breast cancer deaths in town A and 100 breast cancer deaths in town B.

The number of breast cancer deaths in the towns is the same. However, many more people live in town A than live in town B. So, the mortality rates are quite different.

In town A, there were 10 breast cancer deaths among 100,000 people. This means the mortality rate was less than 1 percent (100 deaths/100,000 people = 0.001 = 0.1 percent mortality) in town A.

Although the number of deaths was the same in town A and town B, the mortality rate was much higher in town B (10 percent) than in town A (less than 1 percent).

Let’s look at another example. In 2018, it’s estimated among women there will be [50]:

110 breast cancer deaths in Washington, D.C.

670 breast cancer deaths in Alabama

4,500 breast cancer deaths in California

Just looking at the numbers, it looks like California has the highest number of breast cancers.

However, these numbers don’t take into account the number of women who live in each state (fewer women live in Alabama and Washington, D.C. than live in California). Other factors may vary state as well, such as the age and race/ethnicity of women. So, to compare breast cancer mortality (survival), we need to look at mortality rates.

So, while Washington D.C. had the lowest number of breast cancer deaths, the breast cancer mortality rate was the highest of the 3. And, while California had the highest number of breast cancer deaths, its breast cancer mortality rate was the lowest.

By looking at the mortality rates, we can see women who live in Washington D.C. have higher breast cancer mortality (and thus, lower survival) than women in California.

Immigrants in the U.S. usually have breast cancer incidence (new cases) rates similar to those in their home country.

However, the daughters and granddaughters of immigrants tend to adopt American lifestyle behaviors. These may include behaviors that increase breast cancer risk, such as being overweight or having children later in life.

So, over time, breast cancer incidence in the daughters and granddaughters of immigrants tends to become closer to overall incidence in the U.S.

Incidence

Immigrants in the U.S. (including those from Asia) usually have breast cancer incidence rates similar to those in their home country.

However, the daughters and granddaughters of immigrants tend to adopt American lifestyle behaviors. These may include behaviors that increase breast cancer risk, such as being overweight or having children later in life.

So, over time, breast cancer incidence can become closer to incidence in the U.S. This may explain some of the increase in breast cancer incidence among Asian-American women [71].

Breast cancer incidence rates vary among different Asian-American ethnic groups [71]. For example, incidence is higher in Samoan-American and Hawaiian women than in Chinese-American and Vietnamese-American women [71].

Mortality

Breast cancer is the second leading cause of cancer death in Asian-American women (lung cancer is the major cause of cancer death) [71].

However, breast cancer mortality rates vary among different Asian ethnic groups in the U.S. [72].

Age at diagnosis

Black women tend to be diagnosed at a younger age than white women [63].

The median age at diagnosis for black women is 59, compared to 63 for white women [110]. The median is the middle value of a group of numbers, so about half of black women are diagnosed before age 59 and about half are diagnosed after age 59. Among white women, about half are diagnosed before age 63 and about half are diagnosed after age 63.

Mortality (death)

Breast cancer is the second leading cause of cancer death among Black/African-American women (lung cancer is the major cause of cancer death) [56].

Incidence

Breast cancer is the most common cancer diagnosed in Hispanic/Latina women [113].

In 2018, about 24,000 new cases of breast cancer will be diagnosed among Hispanic/Latina women in the U.S. [113].

The incidence of breast cancer in Hispanic/Latina women increased slightly from 2006-2015 (by less than ½ percent a year) [113].

Mortality

Overall, breast cancer is the leading cause of cancer death in Hispanic/Latina women [113].

In 2018, an estimated 3,200 Hispanic/Latina women in the U.S will die from breast cancer [113].

Hispanic/Latina women may be less likely than non-Hispanic white women to get proper and timely breast cancer care [113]. However, whether this affects breast cancer survival in Hispanic/Latina is not known at this time [113].

Breast cancer screening

Hispanic/Latina women tend to be diagnosed with later stage breast cancers than non-Hispanic white women [113]. This may be due to lower mammography rates as well as delays in follow-up after an abnormal mammogram [113].

Gay, lesbian and bisexual women

Breast cancer rates

Although lesbians and bisexual women have a greater risk of breast cancer than other women, it's not because of their sexual orientation.

Rather, the increased risk of breast cancer is linked to risk factors that tend to be more common in lesbians (such as never having children or having them later in life, obesity and alcohol use) [76-78].

Some findings suggest women in a same sex-relationship may have a higher risk of breast cancer death (but not a higher risk of death from any cause) compared to women in a different-sex relationship [79].

Breast cancer screening

Some findings show the rates of screening mammography among lesbians and bisexual women and heterosexual women are similar [80].

Some data even show screening mammography rates are higher among gay and lesbian women compared to straight women [61]. In 2015 (most recent data available) [61]:

78 percent of gay and lesbian women had a mammogram in the past 2 years

64 percent of straight women had a mammogram in the past 2 years

However, other findings show lesbians and bisexual women may not get regular mammograms [51]. This may be due to [81]:

Lack of health insurance

Perceived low risk of breast cancer

Past discrimination or insensitivity from health care providers

Low level of trust of providers

One step you can take is to find a provider who is sensitive to your needs. Networking with other women may be useful in finding such a provider.

Provider visits offer the chance to get health care, including breast cancer screening, on a regular basis.

Transgender people

At this time, data on breast cancer among transgender men and women are too limited to comment on risk in these populations.

The risk of getting breast cancer increases with age. Most breast cancers and breast cancer deaths occur in women 50 and older [51].

The overall median age at diagnosis for women in the U.S. is 62 [110]. The median is the middle value of a group of numbers, so about half of women are diagnosed before age 62 and about half are diagnosed after age 62. The median age at diagnosis for U.S. women varies by race/ethnicity.

Younger women

Although rare, younger women can also get breast cancer. Fewer than 5 percent of breast cancers occur in women under age 40 [51].

However, breast cancer is the leading cause of cancer death (death from any type of cancer) among women ages 20-39 [82].

While breast cancer risk is generally much lower among younger women, genetic factors can put some women at a higher risk.

Women who are diagnosed at younger ages may have a BRCA1 or BRCA2 gene mutation. These gene mutations increase the risk of breast and ovarian cancer.

It takes time to carefully collect, sort and analyze data. So, often, the “most recent data available” are several years old.

The larger the amount of data involved, the longer it can take. For example, when researchers collect data from many different states or countries, rather than from 1 hospital, it takes much longer.

Sometimes, researchers need to collect data over many years.

Say researchers want to learn about survival 5 years after a breast cancer diagnosis. They must collect data on women diagnosed this year and then wait 5 years to collect the data on survival in 5 years. Only then can they begin to sort and analyze the data.

So, when you see the most recent data are from 2014 or 2015, it doesn’t mean the data are “old.” It simply means it took time to carefully collect the data, do the analyses and prepare the findings.